


The Stars Choose Their Lovers

by CosmicCrossing



Series: Things That Should Have Been [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: AKA 6k words of pure Klance fluff, First Kiss, Keith looks at Lance like he's his entire world, Keith's shook since it's been 2 whole years, Kissing, Lance gets flustered. Mega flustered, Lots of kissing, M/M, Making Out, Mutual Pining, Pining, Season 6 Spoilers, The season 6 reunion we DESERVED, This is immediately after Keith comes back from his mission and says Lotor is a trashy garbage boy, and a little angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-06-25
Packaged: 2019-05-28 14:06:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15050789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CosmicCrossing/pseuds/CosmicCrossing
Summary: “It’s been two years since I’ve seen you,” Keith murmurs, eyes like a pool of stars. “I’m gonna kiss you until you pass out.”And Lance’s brain is on autopilot becauseholy fuckhe cannot believe this is happening, that Keith Kogane is planning on making him so dizzy from kisses—he’ll probably spontaneously combust. So, with everything running a mile a minute, his automatic response is to be snarky, “That’s great, but what about Loto—?”“Don’t care. Give me your mouth.”So much for that!





	The Stars Choose Their Lovers

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve reread this a million times and I absolutely hate it now but I figured I would share it all with you anyway. Take my garbage. You can live in my trash it’s cool
> 
> Btw this has humongous spoilers for season 6 (which I’m still Shook™️ from) and takes place literally right after Keith returns to tell everyone Lotor is a nasty nasty boy, so!! If you’re not caught up don’t read it because you will be spoiled, obviously
> 
> Also this is the first time I’ve ever written anything this steamy so after the fact I was sitting there, my face red, as I nervously asked myself “Should I post this? It’s so bold for me” but then I realized how many smutty and absolutely filthy Klance fics there are out there and this one only holds a candle to that so. But I’ll warn you anyway, they do make out. Like, a lot. So if that’s not your cuppa tea then scat!
> 
> The title of this fic is from a song called The Other Side by Ruelle! I’ve been super into her music lately, you should definitely check her out and give the song a listen! It practically defines Klance imo
> 
> Come hit me up on shima-draws! That’s my tumblr, if you recognize me from all the Klance shitposts and AU posts, I am so sorry. But good for you, too.
> 
> I put on my shades and kick my feet up  
> Enjoy, paladorks

Lance’s head is reeling. It feels like there are a million stars crammed into his brain and he can’t see straight. The whole world tilts on his axis, making him unsteady. Because here, standing before him, is Keith—Keith, who has been gone for months, Keith, who had worked alongside the Blade of Marmora and then disappeared after—Keith, who constantly crowds his thoughts, who he couldn’t get out of his head no matter what he tried. The worry that had nagged him for months finally vanishes as his heart tells him yes, Keith’s standing right here and he’s safe and he’s—taller?  
  
“Keith,” Shiro sounds as shocked as Lance feels, and with one quick glance around, he realizes everyone else is also shaken up by the previous Red Paladin’s sudden appearance.  
  
“It’s...so good to see you,” Shiro continues, his face softening into that usual brotherly expression he gets whenever he’s talking about Keith.  
  
“Hold on,” Lance’s mouth moves before he can even think, and he’s stumbling across the platform, not sure if his eyes are playing tricks on him. “How do we know you’re the real Keith and not his bigger cooler grizzled older brother?” Because honestly, it can’t be him, right?  
  
Keith seems startled, his eyes wide as he regards the brunette. He stares for a solid twenty ticks, breathless and mesmerized, before he shakes his head and gently pushes past Lance to face the others.  
  
“We need to stop Lotor,” is the first thing out of his mouth, and Lance still can’t really wrap his head around the fact that he’s _here_ as they all go through introductions and betrayals and attacks on the ship and—  
  
“When they return we’ll get this all sorted out.” Shiro ends the conversation cleanly and Keith takes a second to look agitated but resigned.  
  
Lance hesitantly steps over to him and then Keith’s eyes snap right back, opening his mouth to speak. He’s silent for several moments before he swallows and tries again, and for once Lance doesn’t try to interrupt him with endless questions, though the curiosity is nearly killing him.  
  
“Lance,” Keith finally murmurs, a strange expression on his face. “I need—I mean...” He shakes his head, visibly frustrated. “Just—come here! I need to talk to you.”  
  
And with that he’s grabbing Lance’s wrist and pulling him away from the pods and the newcomers and Team Voltron and everything that matters until it’s just the two of them, in the dim lighting of the castle hallway.  
  
Keith doesn’t let go of Lance’s wrist; instead he swallows again and his other hand comes up to gently grasp the boy’s elbow.  
  
“What’s up with you?” Lance asks, eyes wandering over Keith’s form. It’s him but it’s...it’s _not_ at the same time, because this Keith is taller, his jaw is more pronounced, he looks thinner than he used to be and his dark hair is curling at the tips. There is a pained expression on his face and he bites down on his lip as he looks Lance over, trying to take in everything of his appearance, gazing at him like he’s some sort of walking dream.  
  
“Keith,” Lance tries again, feeling unsettled. Keith sighs, a shuddering one that releases a little bit of the tension in his shoulders, but his eyes refuse to leave Lance’s own, and the brunette shivers from head to toe at the intensity in his gaze.  
  
He thought that whatever he’d had with Keith was over, because Keith chose the Blade of Marmora, his own destiny, over Voltron and over Lance. That’s why he’d shoved all of those emotions aside and focused on Allura, focused on the fluttery feeling she’d give him and the way she made his heart leap. If he couldn’t find happiness with Keith, than maybe he could with her. He’d developed feelings for her first, anyway. And Keith has never really made it clear how he feels about Lance, so the brunette had just about given up hope and resolved to move on. Several months of separation couldn’t completely heal the hurt, but it helped. Lance had finally resigned to follow where his heart lead him, away from Keith, but now he’s here to mess everything up all over again. And to think Lance was finally getting somewhere with Allura—at least, with his own feelings, that is.  
  
But whatever Allura makes him feel just can’t compare to the heat that pulses through him now, the mere thrill of even being able to stand next to Keith. His heart is beating rapidly and blood pounds in his ears and he can’t seem to catch his breath—the exhilaration, the shock of Keith’s appearance kicking in.  
  
Keith’s fingers trace up his arm and he resists the urge to squeak, not sure where this is going. The taller boy’s eyes flicker over him, as if he hasn’t seen him in years. To Lance it seems that way, since Keith has suddenly shot up several inches and his face has aged.  
  
“What happened to you?” Lance croaks, unsteady. “You look like—quiznak! You look like you’ve been thrown into a time machine!”  
  
At this Keith cracks a hesitant smile, eyes softening. “You’re...well, you’re not wrong.”  
  
Lance sticks out his lip, frustrated.  
  
“Where have you been? What have you been doing? It’s been forever since you contacted us, I thought—I thought...” Lance trails off, not wanting to finish his sentence, not wanting to even entertain the thought.  
  
Keith shakes his head, squeezing Lance’s hand. A bolt of electricity races up the brunette’s spine and he coughs nervously.  
  
“It’s a long story,” Keith mumbles, looking tired and weary. “But it can wait. For now, I just want...” And he draws closer, slowly, until their chests nearly touch, and Lance holds his breath.  
  
Keith releases a soft whining noise from the back of his throat, eyes shining in the dark.  
  
“Lance,” he breathes, licking his lips. Lance inhales sharply and tries not to freeze under Keith’s attention. Is it just him or did the hallway suddenly get really hot?  
  
“Lance,” Keith repeats, as if saying his name is the only thing that’s tethering him to reality. “Lance. Lance. Lance. _Lance_...”  
  
Lance isn’t sure how to respond for a moment, not knowing why Keith’s eyes are burning with longing, nor why his very breath shakes in the small distance between them. There is something he hasn’t told him yet, some secret that’s been left unshared. But he looks like he needs comfort more than anything now, so Lance decides to indulge him and get back to questioning later.  
  
It’s been lonely. Lonely without Keith, without their friendly competition and teasing jabs, without somebody who so acutely understands him. Hunk and Pidge do too, just not as much, they can’t sympathize with him the way Keith can. And they’re always too busy with Coran and getting up to their usual sciency shenanigans that Lance can’t understand.  Shiro’s been acting off for a while now, preferring to be by himself most of the time. That leaves Allura, but she’s occupied with Lotor. A bitter pang of jealousy echoes through him but for some reason he can’t find it in himself to care right now.  
  
Keith is mere inches away and he’s not spending his time catching up with the others or getting his companions situated, he’s with _Lance_ and he looks like he might just die if he can’t  _be_ with Lance, and that thought makes his heart flutter so rapidly, it’s like there’s a hummingbird in there. Keith seems to be looking for some kind of response, because hesitance dances in his eyes but he’s unwilling to pull away just yet—almost as if he’s not strong enough to.  
  
“I’m here,” Lance finally answers, voice quiet. The same words he’s wanted to hear from Keith’s mouth for forever.  
  
Keith whimpers and squeezes his eyes shut, hand tightening around Lance’s shoulder.  
  
“I’m right here.”  
  
And Keith breaks.  
  
Before Lance can even blink Keith is pressed flush against him and his arms are locked around his neck, and there is a mass of fluffy black hair brushing his cheekbones. Keith’s face is right up against his shoulder, his breathing slight. He’s shaking violently and holding on to Lance like his life depends on it.  
  
“Oh—geez,” Lance puffs out, eyebrows drawn together in concern. Even so, his cheeks are bright pink. “Keith—”  
  
A muffled sound escapes Keith’s mouth and Lance tilts his head further to hear it, but it’s already passed.  
  
“Hold on,” the brunette says, hands hovering near Keith’s shoulder blades. Is it okay to touch him, after so long? Will he be able to stop once he starts? “Just...can you repeat that?”  
  
“Two years,” Keith bites out, more clearly, and Lance frowns in confusion.  
  
“Two—?”  
  
“ _Years_ ,” Keith hisses, pulling back until he’s face to face with Lance.  
  
The boy withdraws in shock, seeing angry blotches of red across Keith’s cheeks and that his eyes shine with such an intensity Lance can barely stand. What on earth happened to him while he was away?  
  
“That’s how long I’ve been gone,” Keith clarifies, sniffing.  
  
Lance blinks.  
  
Wait—  
  
“Two _years_?!” He yelps, almost staggering under the shock. “But that’s—”  
  
“Impossible, right? Because for you, it’s only been a few months, right?” Keith snaps, looking aggravated. But his anger isn’t directed at Lance, the boy can tell, because whenever Keith focuses back on him his entire face seems to glow with relief.  
  
“I mean...” Lance runs a free hand through his hair, blinking again in disbelief.  
  
“Like I said, long story,” Keith sighs. “But to sum it up quickly, I was caught in a time warp working on an important mission. That’s how I found Romelle—she’s the Altean.”  
  
“And the space wolf?”  
  
Keith chuckles a bit at that. “That’s Cosmos. I found him on the mission, too.”  
  
“And the Galran—”  
  
“My, uh,” Keith almost looks bashful, fingers twitching nervously against Lance’s back. “She’s...my mom?”  
  
“Your _mom_?” Lance squeaks, jaw dropping. “But how did you even—”  
  
“Can we please just— _later_ ,” Keith pleads. “I’ll explain everything later, I promise. Right now, I just...it’s been so long. Since I’ve seen you. It drove me nuts, being away from...from you, and from the rest of the team, so I...”  
  
And he moves back in closer again, eyelashes almost brushing against Lance’s cheek.  
  
“I wanted...I wanted to see you,” he breathes, fingertips digging into Lance’s shoulder blades.  
  
Lance feels his face heat up for the millionth time since their encounter and wonders just how crazy he’s been to have his heart completely ensnared by Keith’s trap.  
  
“Keith...”  
  
“I know it’s been a few months for you,” the black-haired boy continues, softly, “and without me being able to—to contact you at all, I understand if you’ve like. Moved on and all that. But two whole years for me didn’t change how I feel, and...and still feeling this way wasn’t enough. I have to...” He breathes deeply, cheeks flushed. “I have to make sure. Lance.”  
  
“Mhmm?” Lance squeaks again, cursing his voice for failing him. He’s not sure if he can speak without completely falling apart, so he just holds on to what’s left of himself and waits.  
  
“I couldn’t see you for 724 days,” Keith mumbles. “I counted. It was torture. I thought I’d be fine at first, I made it a few months already...but when Mo—Krolia told me we would be there for a while, I realized...god, I’m such a dumbass. I was too confused to even—to even sort out my feelings for you before I left, or even confirm them with you, or to, like! Actually say something! And by the time I actually realized what that feeling was, it was too late.” He shakes his head, annoyed. “And the days kept passing by, and I started to forget things. The sound of your voice, the color of your eyes, the way you look when you’re smiling—I was starting to go crazy. I didn’t want to forget. I wanted to see you. I wanted and wanted to see you, I just—”  
  
“Keith,” Lance whimpers, nearly moved to tears with emotion.  
  
“Two years, two years,” Keith murmurs, sounding lost. “So long without you. I can’t—I can’t put myself through that again, Lance. Not without knowing if you...” Abruptly his cheeks turn an even darker shade of red, painted across his cheekbones. “...If you feel the same.”  
  
“You _are_ a dumbass,” Lance chokes, and Keith’s head snaps up, his eyes wide.  
  
“You didn’t want to forget, but I _tried_ to,” he says, and his voice cracks. Of course. “I mean I knew—how important the Blade of Marmora was to you, and finding out who you were, but I couldn’t! I couldn’t forgive you for just leaving me like that. I figured, if you were gone, I’d...I’d try to move on and forget about whatever it was we had, since clearly it didn’t mean enough to you—”  
  
“ _No_ , Lance, fuck,” Keith curses, extremely panicked. “I’m sorry I made you so confused, I didn’t mean to—”  
  
“Let me finish, you idiot,” Lance huffs, gently pinching his cheek. “Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, it didn’t really work. I mean I—I still like Allura. I did. Er, I do? I’m not sure! But since you were gone I started spending more time with her and I figured, hey, maybe this could work, maybe I can move on and be happy and you could be happy with someone else in the future and it’d be fine, but—” He trails off, meekly, not liking the look of sadness that lingers in Keith’s expression.  
  
He takes a deep breath. “I couldn’t get you out of my head. Every day, I wondered...how were you doing? Were you okay? Were you hurt, or were you safe? I wondered if you’d learned anything new, if you’d stopped some rebellion like the crazy person you are,” and they both chuckle at this. “And I realized, maybe forgetting about you wouldn’t be so easy. Because I couldn’t stop thinking about you, so...” He grins sheepishly and looks away, the tips of his ears red. “I can’t say for sure what...what my feelings regarding Allura are? Because I’m still figuring it out. But with you...you’ve always, always been a thing. If that makes sense.”  
  
When he dares to sneak a glance at Keith’s reaction, he’s pleased to find amusement shimmering in the taller boy’s eyes. (Dammit, Keith really _is_ taller than him now.)  
  
“So,” Keith rumbles, his voice low, making a shiver race up Lance’s spine. “We’re...good?”  
  
Lance smiles at him, albeit timidly. “We’re good. I want...I want to be with you, too.”  
  
“And...Allura...?”  
  
“I still like her,” Lance points out. “But not as much as I like you. I mean, uh...it’s...complicated? Feelings like that don’t just vanish right away! But I swear it’ll just be you from now on, I’ll forget about her soon. Well not really _forget_ , but—urgh, you know what I mean!”  
  
The black-haired Paladin’s cheeks are rosy. “So we’re like, um. Boyfriends now? I guess?”  
  
Lance colors at the implication, but his heart is literally leaping for joy. God, if this is a dream, he never wants to wake up. Fate of the universe be damned.  
  
“Yeah,” he cheeps out, grinning from ear to ear. Is it possible to be this happy?  
  
Keith sighs in relief. What, like Lance was going to say no? As if!  
  
“So, I guess we should meet up with the others and tell th—” He doesn’t get to finish his sentence because this pleasant moment becomes even more pleasant when soft lips press against his own.  
  
Lance freezes on the spot but immediately melts into it afterward, humming contentedly. Keith is pressing insistently against him, his mouth searching, his fingers soft on Lance’s cheek and his lips even softer. Their noses bump against each other and Lance nearly slides down the wall, but as far as first kisses go Lance can definitely say this one is going at the top of his list. (He mentally apologizes to that girl in middle school, but damn this is so much better.)  
  
Keith pulls away abruptly, his face the color of his first lion.  
  
“Sorry,” he apologizes, chewing his lip. “I’ve kinda been wanting to do that for a while.”  
  
“Oh,” Lance says, dazed.  
  
Keith stares at him dreamily, cracking a nervous grin. “You alright?”  
  
The brunette giggles. “Yeah...”  
  
He’s rewarded with an upward quirk to Keith’s lips, which are looking very very inviting. Would Keith punch him if Lance asks him for another kiss?  
  
Luckily he doesn’t have to worry about that because Keith makes the cutest little noise before leaning in to steal one more, arms coming up to wind around Lance’s neck.  
  
This time Lance is prepared, meeting him head on with a happy sigh, looping his own arms around Keith’s waist and tugging him even closer. But he isn’t ready for the sudden whimper Keith makes and before he knows it Keith’s kissing him desperately, tangling his fingers through his hair and making small sounds with his mouth that turn Lance’s world upside down. The heat between them is intoxicating and it sets every one of Lance’s nerves on fire.  
  
Keith tilts his head and then it becomes infinitely better, and they’re kissing hungrily, making up for months (or, in Keith’s case, two years) worth of missed kisses. Lance’s fingers dig into the small of Keith’s back and the moan that escapes his mouth makes Lance’s head spin.  
  
Through the daze Lance realizes they’ve been gone for quite a while. Reluctantly, and with an unbelievable amount of willpower, he tears himself away. Keith whines lowly and Lance fights himself not to start stealing kisses again, already missing the taste of his newly-acquired boyfriend’s mouth.  
  
“Uh, the others might—” And Keith already seems to know what he planned to say because he interjects before Lance can even finish his own trail of thought.  
  
“It’s been two years since I’ve seen you,” he murmurs, eyes like a pool of stars. “I’m gonna kiss you until you pass out.”  
  
And Lance’s brain is on autopilot because _holy fuck_ he cannot believe this is happening, that Keith Kogane is planning on making him so dizzy from kisses—he’ll probably spontaneously combust. So, with everything running a mile a minute, his automatic response is to be snarky, “That’s great, but what about Loto—?”  
  
“Don’t care. Give me your mouth.”  
  
So much for that!  
  
He can’t complain though, because Keith’s lips are back on his again and it’s like a goddamn drug, he can’t stop and he wants more and it’s the most addicting feeling in the whole world. Their mouths part and Lance nearly yelps when Keith’s tongue runs across the bottom of his lip, and—wow, he’s good at that. Did he learn that somewhere or—?  
  
Keith’s got him pinned to the wall, their bodies are glued together and the air is so thick with heat Lance wouldn’t be surprised if their breath started to steam up. Yup, two years of extreme pining has led to this, and Lance honestly can’t blame Keith for practically sucking face with him after having to wait for so long. He’d do the same thing. He _is_ doing the same thing.  
  
Lance barely has time to catch his breath and gasp out “Holy shit” before Keith’s tongue is invading his mouth, and it’s hot and wet and wow the whole entire castle is spinning. Keith really wasn’t lying when he said he was going to make Lance pass out because he feels dizzy with elation already.  
  
The dark-haired boy is making the most provocative noises and the intensity of his kisses have only gone up since they started, and Lance isn’t sure how much longer he can hold out before he completely loses his mind in the pleasure and mere euphoria of being with the person he loves. But, it’s worth it, he thinks, it was worth the wait.  
  
Finally Keith pulls back to give him room to recover, and his lips are swollen and wet from attention. Hell if he doesn’t look absolutely appealing like this, his hair ruffled beyond saving and face so flushed it looks like he’s just ran a marathon. Or made out with Lance until they couldn’t breathe, either one works.  
  
Keith’s eyes study him again and Lance feels worshipped under his gaze. The Paladin licks his lips and Lance _wheezes_ , his knees suddenly feeling very very weak.  
  
When Keith leans back in again Lance’s internal monologue helpfully says “Oh, no” (he means it in the best way possible) but instead of kissing him senseless again, Keith’s objective is a little lower this time. Lance inhales sharply when Keith showers his jaw with soft kisses and keeps moving down, _down—_  
  
“I missed you,” Keith murmurs, breath hot. His kisses trace down Lance’s neck and the brunette squeals.  
  
“Keith,” Lance keens, fighting to keep his breathing even. He can’t stop shaking and Keith is way to close and touching him and kissing him and it’s all too much, _too much_ —  
  
“I can’t do it,” Keith rasps, nuzzling Lance’s collarbone with his nose. “I can’t...if I have to go even another day without you, I’ll...”  
  
“Umm,” Lance is having a difficult time keeping his thoughts on track with the way things are going, but he tries, at least for the sake of his own sanity.  
  
But Keith doesn’t keep going; instead, he pauses, slumping against Lance’s frame. The brunette realizes he’s shaking, but he can’t tell from what.  
  
“Keith?”  
  
“Sorry,” Keith gasps, holding Lance close. “I’m—I’m okay. I just...need a minute.”  
  
Lance waits, a worried frown decorating his features. He gently wraps his arms around Keith’s shoulders and presses soothing kisses into his hair. Keith seems to appreciate it, for he sighs and releases a contented sort of purr.  
  
“‘S been a long time,” Keith says, nearly inaudible against Lance’s chest. “It feels like a dream.”  
  
Lance smiles, nuzzling against him. “So, you see me in your dreams, lover boy?”  
  
Keith merely snorts at that, but soon falls silent again. The brunette waits several ticks for him to say something, but when no response comes he shifts.  
  
He isn’t allowed to go very far, though, for Keith clutches him tighter and makes a strained noise in the back of his throat.  
  
“Kei—?”  
  
“I don’t,” and Keith breathes in, trembling. “I don’t want to let you go. I’m...I’m afraid to.”  
  
Lance feels his heart melt at that, and then nods in sympathy. If he were in Keith’s position, two years without him would be absolutely unbearable. A few _months_ without Keith was absolutely unbearable.  
  
“If I open my eyes...you won’t disappear, right?” Keith’s voice is small and afraid, moreso than Lance has ever heard it before.  
  
Lance shakes his head. “I’m right here,” he says again, voice weak. “I’m staying right here with you.”  
  
“I dreamt of this moment so many times.” The raven hiccups, squeezing him tight. “But then I’d wake up and find it was just a dream. Or, I’d see you and the others in the distance, but you were too far away for me to reach...I ran and ran, but I couldn’t catch up to you. I had—I had so many nightmares like that. Nightmares that I couldn’t find you no matter where I looked. That I wouldn’t see you again, ever.” His shoulders hike up and he releases a pained noise into Lance’s shoulder. “I can’t do it, Lance, I can’t do it! I—I can’t be without you anymore, it hurts, it hurts too much a-and—”  
  
Lance cuts him off with a gentle but affirming kiss and isn’t surprised to taste salt on his lips. Keith can taste it too, for both their faces are flushed with tears.  
  
“I missed you so much,” Keith whispers, withholding a sob.  
  
“I missed you too,” Lance chokes, fighting to keep his voice steady. He can feel more tears building, his throat tightening. “I—I thought, I thought you didn’t...d-didnt care anymore—”  
  
“ _No_!” Keith cries out desperately, trembling. “Lance, you have no idea how—how _much_ I care—” He parts his lips and chews on them nervously. He takes a moment to rub at his face. “I was just too stupid to realize before I left, and...I know I’ve caused you a lot of pain. I’m...I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you.” His voice is meek, timid.  
  
“It’s okay,” Lance replies softly. “Just promise me you won’t leave again.”  
  
“I won’t,” Keith says immediately.  
  
The brunette looks at him worriedly. “I totally get that we’ll have to be apart sometimes for missions and stuff, but I mean. Just not for _that_ long, ya know?"  
  
Keith nods his head in agreement, finally calming down from his earlier bout of crying. Lance does too, feeling all of his worries and insecurities wash away like the tide. He feels like he can finally relax for the first time in ages, now that Keith’s here. Lance feels more safe, more assured around him. If Lance is the ocean, then Keith is his moon—gently guiding him to shore and back. It’s been way too chaotic without him around.  
  
“I’m glad you’re back.” Lance shoots him a shy grin, and Keith smiles in return, his eyes flashing in the dark.  
  
“Me too.”  
  
“I mean I—I knew you’d come back eventually, but...” He scratches behind his ear. “You seemed so busy, so I never knew when you would...”  
  
“I didn’t want to keep myself away,” Keith admits sheepishly, gently rubbing circles into Lance’s back with his thumb. “Things just got so out of hand and before I knew it, months had flown by...”  
  
Lance merely hums in acknowledgement, puffing out a breath.  
  
“But I never stopped caring,” comes a quiet confession. “I never stopped—thinking about you. Wondering if you missed me at all. Knowing that I should have told you before I left that I—” He suddenly tenses, eyes wide. “I-I...um.” He exhales windily. “L-Lance. I...uh, I really...I’m. I’m...god dammit,” and he cards a hand through his hair, looking on the verge of having a panic attack.  
  
With a bolt of realization Lance realizes what Keith is trying to say, and his heart floods with emotion until he can’t see anything but Keith, Keith, _Keith_. He never even stood a chance—Keith barged into his life, stole his heart and wrote his name all over it. And now...  
  
“Keith...it’s okay, if you’re not ready to say it—”  
  
“ _I'minlovewithyou_ ,” Keith says in a rush, his face immediately turning bright red afterwards.  
  
Lance blinks, and his mouth drops open in a small squeak. “Oh.”  
  
“ _Oh_?” Keith repeats back, flabbergasted. “Here I am putting my heart on my sleeve and you only say—”  
  
“You love me,” Lance says in wonder, nearly breathless with exhilaration. Is today even real? Does the universe even _exist_? Has he suddenly ascended to a different plane of existence where everything is beyond perfect, incomprehensible—  
  
“I mean. Yeah,” Keith gruffs, looking pouty and extremely embarrassed. His face is adorably flushed, all the way to his ears.  
  
“I love you too.” And saying it is as easy as breathing, as simple as _being_. Keith looks shaken but in a good way, his eyes as wide as saucers and his mouth slightly ajar into a perfect little ‘o’ shape. Lance kinda wants to kiss him again.  
  
“Oh,” Keith exhales, and Lance bursts into laughter, shoulders bouncing.  
  
“Oh? That’s all you have to say?” He teases, using Keith’s own words against him.  
  
“I mean—just—s-shut up!” Keith whines, half-heartedly punching him in the shoulder. Lance quakes with chuckles before scooping him up into another kiss.  
  
It’s chaste, this time, soft and so full of emotion that Lance swears he can taste something immensely sweet on Keith’s lips. The raven stops fighting and instead threads thin fingers through his hair, catching his umber locks in between.  
  
When they break apart, there something glimmering in Keith’s eyes. Love, Lance realizes, which he’d seen in those dark violet eyes countless times before, it had just remained unnameable until now.  
  
“Say it again,” Keith pleads quietly, arching into him.  
  
“I love you,” Lance repeats, and sharing those words for a second time comes even easier than the first.  
  
Keith’s pupils are blown wide, his expression one of adoring awe.  
  
“Again?”  
  
“I love you.”  
  
Keith swallows. “One...one more time.”  
  
Lance barks out a laugh. “I love you!”  
  
“Oh my god,” Keith whines longingly, closing the gap between them again.  
  
“Mhmmmm,” Lance sighs into his mouth, finally succumbing to the desire pulsing through his veins.  
  
Keith smiles against him and laughs, and soon Lance finds himself laughing as well and then they’re both a mess of chuckles and kisses and soft touching that makes them feel like they’re on cloud nine.  
  
“Hold...hold on a sec,” Lance manages to get out, sighing as Keith works busily at marking his neck.  
  
“Hmm?” Keith hums pleasantly against his skin, warm and gentle, and Lance melts.  
  
“As much as I would love to—ah! Continue,” he puffs out, almost swearing he can see hearts in Keith’s eyes as his gaze turns teasing, “Umm, you said you needed to...nnn, just stop and listen for a minute! You said you had information about, about Lotor,” he finishes, shuddering as Keith presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth and sighs.  
  
“We were having a bonding moment,” he complains teasingly, and Lance almost punches him for that comment.  
  
Keith regards him silently for a couple moments before making a weird face. Lance tilts his head and Keith quickly steals another kiss—and then another, and another.  
  
“Keith,” Lance growls warningly, and it has the opposite effect of what he wanted for a delicious shiver runs through Keith’s body.  
  
“Sorry, kinda hard to stop,” he admits, nibbling on Lance’s lower lip.  
  
“You...tease,” the brunette puffs out, gripping Keith’s hip with one hand.  
  
“Okay, okay, one more and then—then we’ll go back to the others and—” Lance cuts him off before he can finish, deciding to make this kiss count.  
  
It starts out slow and gentle but picks up, and soon enough their tongues are tangling and their hands are wandering and they’re absorbing everything they can get out of it. They’ve promised to stay with each other but they don’t know if that will happen for sure, because anytime some mission might tear them apart, they’ll be caught in the midst of the same intergalactic space war they’ve been dealing with since they left Earth. And they know this, so they take the time to memorize the shape of each other’s mouths, taste each other’s breath and take in all the other has to give. Lance is Keith and Keith is Lance—they are one entity, fighting for the same cause, their souls merged and their fates intertwined forever.  
  
Eventually they slow down again until they’re just softly breathing against each other, cheeks pink and eyes closed. Keith nuzzles against Lance’s nose and Lance presses one final kiss to his mouth before pulling away, fingers tracing up his hipbones, to the sides of his chest and then to his shoulders and cheeks.  
  
“Time to go,” Keith says with resignation, releasing a quiet sigh. He looks exhausted, but his interaction with Lance has brought back some of the color to his cheeks and makes him seem a little bit more lively, at least.  
  
“What are we gonna tell the others?”  
  
The raven ponders over this, his eyes narrowed.  
  
“That I confessed and kissed you senseless and now we’re dating?”  
  
Lance snorts at that. “Sounds easy enough.”  
  
“Yeah, well...” Keith rubs the back of his neck, anxiety rolling off of him. “You sure you’re okay with...with Allura and everything?”  
  
The brunette stares at him flatly before answering with a blunt, “Keith we literally just made it to first base, almost second and you think I’m still into Allura?”  
  
Keith’s face turns crimson, right on cue.  
  
“That’s—” He stutters, face twisting into one of embarrassed anger, “You can’t just—say things like that! Why do you have to be so—ugh! So...”  
  
“Aww, but you like it,” Lance winks, his voice low and sultry.  
  
“Fucking,” Keith sighs heavily and rubs his temples. “Yup, this is—I remember this. There’s no Lance without the teasing bit.”  
  
“I’m glad you have your priorities straight,” Lance chirps.  
  
“But I’m not straight?”  
  
The Red Paladin nearly chokes on his own spit.  
  
“Keith! Did you just make a gay joke? Oh my god I’m so proud of you—”  
  
“I’m leaving, Lance. Lotor should be back any minute now.”  
  
“Oh, _now_ you want to discuss Lotor! Where were you when _I_ wanted to talk about it?”  
  
“If I recall, my tongue was halfway down your throat, so.”  
  
Lance has the decency to blush at that, caught off guard. Keith turns around and gives him a sly smirk, his eyes twinkling.  
  
“Unfair,” Lance whines, his voice betraying him by cracking. The grin on Keith’s face only turns more predatory, and Lance regrets ever teasing him at all.  
  
Keith stops walking and waits for him to catch up, and once he does, Keith reaches over and intertwines their fingers, pressing their palms together.  
  
The raven’s gaze is shy but there is a gentle smile on his lips and a slight rosiness to his cheeks, and Lance thinks that if the world ended right now he could die happy without any regrets. The person he’s longed to be with for what seems like forever is finally his and he wants to shout it to the skies, race across the beach barefoot and announce it to everyone that can hear how extremely lucky he is.  
  
Maybe one day they can go home and Lance can introduce Keith to his family, he can take him for evening strolls and sit on the porch and drink lemonade until the sun vanishes below the horizon and the stars twinkle in the sky. He can cuddle up with Keith in a hammock and take an afternoon nap and not have to worry about the Galra or Lotor or any of the stuff that is more important than anything right now. He wants to do all of that with Keith and more—wants to give him the world, the whole universe, wants to make love to him until they’re delirious with joy and hold him close until nobody can tell where Lance starts and Keith ends. And it’s all these things flashing in his mind as they stride right into their destiny, the rest of their teammates awaiting.  
  
Yeah, there are a million stars in his brain, crowding his thoughts, but there’s entire galaxies in Keith’s eyes and finally, finally, Lance is home.

**Author's Note:**

> I was gonna add an after scene where Keith and Lance discuss Shiro and pretty much everything from the last episode on their way home, but I didn’t want to ruin that lovely ending so I just left it haha (also I finished writing this at 1 AM last night and I was so tired, I didn’t want to write a whole other scene for them RIP).
> 
> Well I hope you enjoyed that fluffy mess!! Honestly it was a mess, a rollercoaster ride of emotion, I’m still iffy about the middle bits but I’m too lazy to edit it so. Take it as it is. I hope it’s redeemable to you readers haha
> 
> I really wanted to stick to canon as much as possible so no I wasn’t going to completely disregard Lance’s feelings for Allura. I hope I made it clear that she’s not a rebound for Keith, Lance officially liked her first and then he got a thing for Keith after that so! You can have crushes on multiple people at once and that’s what Lance was sorta going through—but since Keith was MIA and Lance thought that relationship wouldn’t work out, he decided he’d follow his heart towards Allura and see how that would go :’) But ofc Keith came back and ruined everything, like I said haha  
> So Lance still likes Allura but he found out “Oh wow I like Keith a lot more and I always have it just took me this long to realize that” His feelings for her will fade eventually! I know from personal experience a crush doesn’t go away when you want it to, you gotta give yourself time to get over it. Lance’s relationship with Keith will help with that, and he and Allura will be fine and dandy!!  
> But yeah I hope that makes sense. I didn’t want it to be confusing, I wanted him to shift his affections without it seeming like a rebound kdnsmcm idk I can’t write what are you talking about
> 
> Umm what else. Oh!! Keith’s wolf. Obviously he doesn’t have an official name yet so I figured I’d pick one for him—Cosmos! Keith named him that, he’d definitely name him smth dorky (I considered Sirius too but that might be too obvious lmao) so yes he is Cosmos, now and forever, in my mind
> 
> But man two years without Lance, I’d go crazy too tbh. Keith’s a champ for holding out for that long. Fucking superb you funky little gay
> 
> Alright that’s all for now lovelies! Like I mentioned above my tumblr is shima-draws, come hit me up for a chat or a discussion about Klance I’m down //finger guns


End file.
